Cartoons Books

a marriage of the visions of frida kahlo, the tales of carlos fuentes (think AURA), the humanity of gabriel garcia marquez, gilbert hernandez's opus THE BLOOD OF PALOMAR redefines the novel for an american late 20th century that found literature in flux: think pynchon, or vonnegut, or, even, warhol or coppola. his is a tale of art, murder, love, loss, and desire that few others could tell.

A remarkable book that ranks with Maus and Binky Brown as the best graphic fiction I have read. Tonantzin's search for answers and meaning, and her ultimate fate, are truly poignant. A masterpiece.

Although the premise (a serial killer is stalking the Central American town of Palomar) initially stuck me as a bit over the top, the execution more than makes up for it. The murders become almost secondary to the human drama of the residents of the town, as families are pulled apart, reunited, and the entire town struggles with an invasion of demonic monkeys. All this, and Luba too! A fantastic book, that I find stays with you long after you've actually put it down.

Gilbert Hernandez outdid himself with every new installment of "Heartbreak Soup". As he took his characters through each realistic and dramatic experience, they grew more lifelike, and the reader gained something close to friendship with then. Every one of his stories of Palomar affected me in a way; this one probably had the greatest impact.

The book begins with a few typical, cute Palomar stories (one of the most brilliant things Gilbert did was to jump the characters ahead 10 years, and look back once in a while; he created instant nostalgia), then launches into its centrepiece, the 100+ page "Human Diastrophism". This is a brilliant story that juggles three or four subplots at a time with ease. Luba's journey through family-abusing depression, regression into lust, and her final success at reclaiming her dignity is poignant and unforgettable. Marciela and Riri's romance unfolds slowly and is eventually revealed as the foundation of the whole story. Tonzantzin's pathetic, cathartic, and tragic story is the biggest suprise her; she had been pigeonholed as the town slut, and a 2-D figure, but by the end you can't help but feel sympathy for her. And there's a murder mystery, too; sometimes I wonder why I bother to write comics when Gilbert has already perfected them.

Please, please don't be an intellectual snob and disregard this as a "funnybook". Pick up the book; Blood of Palomar and the other 14 Love and Rockets paperbacks deserve a place at the table of the great works of the century.

A must own for any Lucky Luke fan... 40 minutes of sheer reading pleasure... and as always the aboslutely best graphics!

This is another installment in the hugely popular Lucky Luke series. This English-language edition by 9th Cinebook helped get my 12-year-old hooked into the Lucky Luke series. One of the fun aspects of the Lucky Luke books is his fictional interactions with real-life personalities from the Old West: Billy the Kid, The Dalton Gang, Jesse James, Calamity Jane and others.

At last the English translations of the French Lucky Luke adventures are available in the U.S. Another great gift from France, which also gave us the Statue of Liberty. Lucky Luke: Billy the Kid is the first volume in a European comics series which appeared in oversized full color editions with no advertisements, in the format of a graphic novel. The best known series in that format is Tintin, the Belgium comic which has long been available in the U.S. and a favorite worldwide.

Lucky Luke is a lonesome, enigmatic cowboy who has run-ins with famous and infamous characters, as, in this volume, Billy the Kid. However, that is merely the point d'appui (point of departure) for Goscinny to spin his Lucian yarns, perfectly complemented by Morris' graphic pen. A note in this edition promises twelve Lucky Luke adventures due out in English by August 2008, although in 2004, there were already 63 comic albums available in German.

Hopefully other European comics will not be long in showing up in English editions, such as those by Franquin. One of his best series is a Belgian comic published in French, called Spirou and Fantasio. This comic introduced Marsupilami, which Disney featured in a spin-off from its "Raw Toonage" cartoon series. The only adventure which made it into English, so far as I know, was Z is for Zorglub, published by Fantasy Flight Publishing in 1995. This is a series as engaging as Tintin, which will hopefully make it out in English soon. In 1994, there were 44 adventures of Spirou and Fantasio in French. Franquin also did a series called Gaston, about a teen inventor. There was also a spin-off called Le Petit Spirou, about Spirou as a kid, done in a slapstick, whimsical style.

Numerous English readers have enjoyed the adventures of Tintin, and escapades of Asterix. Now with Lucky Luke becoming available, the time is right for a (welcome) invasion of European comics.

It's cause for celebration that Cinebooks are publishing this classic Euro graphic album series for all ages. It's by written by Goscinny, writer of Asterix, one of the all time greats of humorour comics, and it's illustrated in inimitable style by Morris. These books are enormously enjoyable, and they're an essential part of comic book history. And it's great to have Lucky Luke speak in his 'native' language - well, obviously it's a French series, but Lucky Luke is an American cowboy, so.... well, you get my meaning. Also remember to get Goscinny's third classic series "Iznogoud", Cinebooks is starting to publish that one in 2008. It's as funny as "Asterix" and "Lucky Luke", but a lot weirder.

Great stress reliever for those mid-winter educational burn outs. My oldest son loved it. He likes Mad Magazine too.

What can I tell you. I am a teacher and it's absolutely true!!!!! The usual gang of idiots did it again. Amazing book when you have to go to the bathroom.

I've always loved MAD Magazine. This is perfect for the student in class. I could have made a fortune selling these at my high school. If only I had a time machine.

Let's start out with the fact that I am a HUGE fan of MAD Magazine. I subscribe to it, I have a lot of MAD books, and I have most of the issues ever made. This book is very cheap and if you want to know what MAD is or if you like it, I recommend this or another cheap, short MAD book.

MAD has been around since the 1950's. In the late 60's and early 70's, it was actually looked upon as controversial. Kids and teens loved it, parents really didn't. I'll explain the things you can find in here.

The MAD Students Hate Book: 4 pages of stuff that you most likely hate.
Funniest Part: "Don't you hate...finding out that the kid that you copied those test answers from is even dumber than you are?"
Rating: 7 out of 10

School Supplies Unlimited Wholesale Catalogue: School supplies for your school that will make your children as miserable as possible.
Funniest Part: MADDENING COPY MACHINE lowers student grade averages by cleverly smudging key words in quiz questions. Mechanism is equipped with irregular ink dribbler, automatic stencil ripper, cockeyed paper feeder and other illegibility devices not normally found on copiers in this price range.
Rating: 8.5/10

When Corporate Sponsorship of Public Schools Goes Too Far!: When there are too many price cuts in a school, you have to depend on big name companies to give you your supplies.
Funniest Part: Some Extinct Organisms; Wooly Mammoth, Saber-Toothed Tiger, Dodo Bird, Mom and Pop Small Corner Hardware Store.

The Lighter Side of..School (Part 1): The Lighter Side of... segment by Dave Berg. (MAD fans will know what that is.)
Funniest Part:
Kid's Mother: Hi, there! How were things at school today?
Kid: We kids got TERRIBLE PROBLEMS!!
Kid's Mother: Oh...? What kind of problems?
Kid: Pneumonia...appendicitis...tuberculosis...pyorrhea...
Kid's Mother: Oh my!! You mean everybody's getting sick from them?
Kid: Boy, I'll say! Those are the WORDS we have to learn for the big SPELLING TEST tomorrow!!
Rating: 10/10

Why Didn't You Do Your Homework?- Excuses for forgetting to do your homework.
Funniest Part: Your father used the last piece of looseleaf in the house as a "pooper scooper" when he walked the dog!
Rating: 10/10

Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions: Hans Brickface Memorial High- Snappy answers to stupid questions by Al Jaffee.
Funniest Part: Teacher: You call this homework?
Response: Kid: No, I call it two and a half hours of lost TV time.
Rating: 9/10

A MAD Look At Teachers: The "teachers" version of Sergio Aragones' hit.
Funniest part: It has no words and I can't explain it.
Rating: 7/10

The Lighter Side of School (Part 2): See Part 1.
Funniest Part:
Kid: Today, I was the only kid in class who could answer the teacher's question.
Kid's Mother: How nice! And what did the teacher ask??
Kid: "WHO THREW THAT SPITBALL...??"
Rating: 10/10

Student Excuse Notes for the 21st Century: Stupid absent notes by parents.
Funniest Part: Dear Mrs. Unbe, Please excuse Melantha's absence from English class yesterday. She had to wait for FedEx to deliver her term paper. Thank You, Brent Sackbut
Rating: 9/10

What Really Goes on At Those Teachers' Conferences!: The name says it all.
Funniest part: They get together to coordinate pop quizzes for maximum student stress.
Rating: 8/10

The Lighter Side of School (Part 3): See Part 2.
Funniest Part:
Girl in Class: Thank goodness this class is over! What have we got in the next period?
Boy in Class: Huh? Oh, just a minute! I'll check out the schedule...
Boy in Class: What class was this one?
Rating: 10/10

Modern-Day Crises In Our Public Schools: The name says it all.
Funniest Part: Finster High School students Al Elam and Byron Brooks sustained minor injuries today when they opened the locker they share and a cascade of textbooks, yo-yos, notepads, Frisbees, skateboards, a radio, a lunch box, gym bags, tennis shoes, pens, pencils and 9 half-eaten sandwiches rained down on them.
Rating: 6/10

Lunch-Packing Mom Profiles: What your mom packs you for lunch and what type of mom it is.
Favorite Profile: Stressed Out Working Mom:
-Your sister's favorite gummy snacks, not yours.
- A can of soup with house key taped to it, with directions to microwave for dinner tonight.
- Your sandwich, accidentally wrapped in Mom's first quarter marketing report.
Rating: 9/10

The Brownnosing Guide To Writing A+ School Papers: How to write A+ papers in all your classes.
Favorite Part: The Sure Fire A+ Book Report: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a little noan piece of litterchure that might have remaned unnoan if Miss Fennery hadnt noan to asssign it, theirby making it noan to all of us."
Rating: 7/10

Clues Your High School's Football Team Really Stinks: The name says it all.
Favorite Part: By the third quarter, the opposing team's mascot is playing fullback and putting up Heisman numbers.
Rating: 11/10 AWESOME

Bumper Stickers That Reflect Real School Life
Favorite Part: "Me child am English honor student at Brownlake High".
Rating: 9/10

Monroe and the School Clothes: The School Clothes edition of Bill Wray and Anthony Barbieri's Monroe comic.
Favorite Part: none, it all sucks
Rating: 1/10

The Lighter Side of School (Part 1A): See Part 3.
Favorite Part:
Girl in School: I don't understand your uneven grades, Larry! On one test you score brilliantly, on the next you fail miserably!
Boy in School: What's not to understand? It's obvious it's all in the studying!
Boy in School: If the guy sitting next to me did what he was supposed to and studied hard, I get good grades!
Rating: 9/10

One Tuesday Afternoon After School
A Don Martin one-page comic.
Rating: 4/10


All in all, this is perfect for a student, a college graduate or just anyone who wants to learn. I recommend this and a subscription to MAD Magazine.

This is another of the greatest MAD books of all time! It's funny, and the idea of the book is unique! Tha book is riotous! Larry Siegel has pulled it off, with great illustrating by John Caldwell! Tha two are a perfect match for this great book that just keeps me laughing to this day!

I thought this book was great!!! Very humorously written, whether your a dog or cat lover you will find much here to tickle your funny bone.

MAD produced over 200 paperbacks and this one was one of the best. Larry Siegel hits the mark about dog ownership. Angelo Torres did the art for the original release for Warner books. John Caldwell steps in for this release and does a great job.

What makes this book from the usual gang of idiots at "MAD" magazine different is that it is not a reprint of choice material. It is, instead, a revised edition of the 1984 version of "MAD's How to Be a Successful Dog," which may or may not have been a reprint of choice material from "MAD" magazine. I assume so because this is the first "original" volume "MAD" that I have come across.

"MAD: How to Be a Successful Dog" is aimed at the "misinformed canine" in need of guidance as well as any dog owners who stumble upon this look at their relationship from the other side. The book is written by Spot, but told to Larry Siegel, the Emmy Award winning writer whose previous claim to fame had been replacing Hugh Hefner as the editor of "Shaft," the University of Illinois humor magazine. So Siegel has been waiting a long time to have a successful comeback. The book is illustrated by John Caldwell, a regular contributor to "MAD" Magazine, who won be over with the drawing on the table of contents of a dog wearing a t-shirt that says: "MY DAD PEED ON A GIANT CALIFORNIA REDWOOD AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT."

The book provides a comprehensive look at a dog's life, dealing not only with critical topics like "The Importance of Cute" and "Choosing the Right Master," but dealing in a forthright manner with the dark side of being a dog, such as "The Fine Art of Living with Guilt" and "Facing Up to Punishment." The book is filled with practical advice in terms of what to lick and when, three reasons why not to waste time chasing cats, and when to bark while traveling in a car. Spot ends with a chapter entitled "Everything You Have to Know About Sex--So Why Ask" that talks not only about the importance of engaging in meaningless small-bark but the problems of trying to light a couple of cigarettes with your paws when it is all over. At that point there is nothing left to talk about and Spot leaves his readers to return to the dog-eat-dog world from whence they came.

WARNING: This book is not intended for younger readers, even if they are being weaned on "MAD" Magazine's brand of satire. Spot know what the term is for female dogs and he is not afraid to use it. Of course, if your kids gets to the end of the book and is reading about doggie sex, one little five-letter word is hardly going to do much additional damage.

The story was a fascinating history of a famous magician. The author made the book less pleasant than it might have been by inserting her politically correct points of view at various times.

With its unique combination of cartoons, photos, newspaper clippings, this is everything a graphic novel should be. It's entertaining, informative and a page turner of sorts. As the memoir progresses, you get drawn into Long Tack Sam's life and you root for him. I felt myself wishing that I had been around to catch his act.

I read this in one sitting! This was done in a journal/comic book format that was informative, fun, and made me feel that when I ended the book, I left with something special. Sam was a pioneer, and all the amazing people he met and worked with (Orson Wells, Laurel and Hardy to name a few), it's like the back of the book said, how come no one knows who this famous man is? His rufasal to compromise to the Chinese steriotype in order to enter Hollywood, and that his daughters were considered too pretty to be filmed as Asians for any Hollywood pictures , really reminds you that the 20th century really changed our views of the world and culture. This man went all over the world, married an Austrian lady, and go figure, had competition from white magicians dressing in Asian motifs and taking similar names to him! I can go on ad infinitium about how great this was, and how I came upon this by accident. I strongly recommend this book to not only magicians, but also to anyone looking for a fun and entertaining read.

I had seen Ann Marie Fleming's documentary film about her great-grandfather, Long Tack Sam, and was thrilled to see that she had also written a book about him. I was expecting the usual sort of biography, text with a couple of photo inserts. Instead, the book is a mix of text, cartoons, and photos, much in the same style as the movie. It's absolutely beautiful, and the period images (ads and posters, photos, etc) convey the style and feel of the vaudeville era which was Sam's heyday. I love to read about vaudeville but it's the images that bring those times to life for me, and this book does it wonderfully.

I can't believe Rolilns didn't go blind drawing this GN. His style is SO detailed. And it's perfect for the story, which is about a future in which sleep is really a luxury. NO JOKE. Until the hero, Bronsen, accidentlly discovers a sleep machine, which you'll never guess what it is.

I also recommend "Survival Machine," a trade paperback from a couple years ago that he wrote/drew. It is worth hunting for.

Rollins is a really talented artist and his writing style is clear, engaging, and appealing. He provides lots of useful details for would-be graphic novelists and plenty of interesting personal anecdotes. The "flip book" structure is cool. I warmly recommend this book, even if you're not that into graphic novels!

As a longtime fan of serious graphic storytelling, and an aspiring writer of a graphic novel script, I picked this up to learn the nuts and bolts of how long-form graphic stories are put together. The book is a great "how-to" concept -- the idea is that you read Rollins' 100-page sci-fi graphic novel "The Resonator", and then you flip the book and read about how he created it. You could certainly skip the graphic novel, but the "how-to" information is much richer and clearer if you don't.

In general, I tend to like either really simple and clean or really detailed and complex artwork, and Rollins is definitely in the latter camp. The book is a visual treat, as he painstakingly evokes the crumbling, jerry-rigged components of distant future space living. The story itself is a mixed salad of some very imaginative ideas along with some more familiar ones. It follows a uranium miner named Bronsen as he seeks to escape his stultifying life by using a illegal "resonator" to sleep and dream. In this future, mankind has evolved out of the need for sleep, and sleep becomes a kind of luxury good, strictly controlled by the megacorporation that governs all of mankind. The revelation as to what the resonator is is outstanding, and Bronsen's dream sequences are a brilliant contrast to his waking life. However, the "what is a dream and what is reality?" nature of the conclusion was a tired sci-fi theme long before "The Matrix" trilogy milked the final dregs from it. And stories in which a megacorp rises to rule over all humanity have always struck me as rather lazy. Ditto for the circular concept that these spaceships are kept running on a constant search for uranium, but the only use for the uranium is to power the ships. Nonetheless, on the whole, it's a graphic novel well worth one's time.

Flipping the book over, one gets about seventy pages of explanation, covering writing, preproduction, penciling, inking, and lettering. As a writer and not an artist, I was most interested in the writing section. Here, Rollins explains the story's evolution from writing workshop project to short story, to script. This is pretty straightforward "Fiction 101" stuff, with little I found new or useful. The one part I did like was his "Note on Character" (pages 18-19), in which he suggests that characters become quite interesting when there's a difference between what they think they're afraid of, and what they're really afraid of. I hadn't thought about that before, and his examples are quite revealing. The other sections are copiously illustrated with conceptual sketches, diagrams, and clear explanations of his artistic process. Overall, well worth reading if you're an artist thinking about embarking on the long form. Somewhat less useful if you're more focused on the writing side.

Kudos to Prentis Rollins. First, for a fascinating if somewhat cerebral science fiction graphic novel, "The Resonator." Using his graphic novel, he shows by example the kind of depth that can be achieved via telling stories in the format of a graphic novel.

Second, flip the book over and he provides an extensive how-to text, "The Making of a Graphic Novel", in which he provides detailed information and tips on creating graphic novels, with lavish illustrations of pages at different stages, descriptions of tools, etc. Fascinating, as well as extremely useful for people interested in creating stories in this form, or for people who simply want more insight into the work that goes into the crafting of a graphic novel.

This book is great. It goes into, although briefly the rise of marvel comics. The meat and potatoes of this book though is the study of the marvel characters. Captain America, Spider-man, The Incredible Hulk, and the X-Men are looked into in depth. Other characters in the marvel universe are also explored but not in the length of the others mentioned. Whats great about this book is that it looks at the characters major story lines and their origins but also their representations in other mediums. WOndering about Captain America in the movies or on t.v.? Then this is the book for you. There is also another great book titled "marvel universe." That book looks at the characters in the comics only. So if you want just a study of the comics go with "Marvel Universe." If you want a book that looks at everything invovled with the character go with this one. Or buy both, they are fantastic books. So buy both! I did.

I put off buying Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe because of the price. I finally decided to give in to the temptation, and WOW, am I glad I did! I had an absolute BLAST reading this book.

The book is beautifully designed; It looks, smells, and feels GREAT. It's so attractive that at times I actually hated to open it for fear of getting it dirty. The cover art by Kaare Andrews is just gorgeous. Content-wise, Author Michael Mallory does a nice job of covering the history of the Marvel Bullpen and it's major players (Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko), and the Marvel Universe and it's major characters (Captain America, The Hulk, Spider-Man, and The X-Men each get extensive chapters of their own, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Daredevil, The Silver Surfer, et al, all share smaller chapters). The chapters are lavishly illustrated, and filled with beautiful art from the Comics, Movies, TV shows, and video games that the characters have appeared in. I'm a REAL Marvel Comic afficionado, and not only did I NOT find too many mistakes in the book (A few, but nothing major...), but I actually learned a lot; My favorite tidbit- Captain America co-creator Joe Simon hails from my adopted hometown of Rochester, New York.

Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe is a luxury item, to be sure, but one I'm glad I splurged on. I guarantee any Marvel Zombie will love it.

This book, while lacking a little in historical content compared to Marvel: Five Fabulous Decadess of the World's Greatest Comics, exceels in Character content on primary Marvel heros. The art work, photos, and some updated material is nice (eventhough, in the age of comic movies, it is now behgind, but that cannot be helped).

Chapters on Captian America, Spider-man, and the Fantastic Four are very nice, but it does not do justice to other marvel heros such as the second tier group like the Punisher or Daredevil.

All in all, this book functions well as a coffee table book, of which it is intended. I ama Marvel and DC fan, and find this book to be a nice collection.

This book is great. Full color, large pictures and information from the past to present on most Marvel Heroes. What is great is that you can be entertained and kept interested while reading about charactors you might not have had any interest in before.

This is a fun book, with cute pictures, and a wry sense of humor seen throughout. Buy this as a gift for the guy who is coming out...or for the guy who is long out....or just for anyone who enjoys gay humor.

I found this book on holiday in San Francisco, and loved it so much I brought back to the UK for a friend. It's a great book with good drawings.

I got this book when I babysitted my friend's pets. I loved that book! It is so cute and farout! Many friends of mine LOVED it and wanted to buy them! Seem that Amazon is only place that I could be able to find this little book. I tried many stores, no luck!

This is a little 6" X 6" case-bound book that I bought for myself and now plan on giving as gifts to all my friends. Every gay household should have one on display. What with all the erotic colored drawings that reminded me of Tom of Finland's work, this is a sexy little book. Each letter of the alphabet from A-Z holds the key to hot and funny scenes of gay sex. Maurice Vellekoop is a wonderful artist and has written very funny lines here. I really enjoyed this book. My advise is to get your copy now before you forget & or it goes out of print.

This book is just to funny. I bought a couple of them and used them as gifts for friends who like me are no longer as young as we once were. They couldn't say enough good things about how much they enjoyed the book. Maxine is one of my favorites and they loved her too. Thanks for the excellent service. Prime is super and my family uses it alot.

I think Maxine is the greatest woman alive. She is an inspiration to all women out there to think outside the box and don't limit yourself and definitely do not rely on men.

I picked this book up off of the grocery store shelf and started reading it. I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. I looked up to see I was entertaining other shoppers. I am buying this book for my cousin who has just started chemo therapy. I believe laughter is the Best Medicine and Maxine sure Yells out the laughs.

My review is that this book is funny and so truthful you laugh your socks off when reading it. This is one book that can instantly get you from a down mood to one happy person. The pictures in the book add just the right touch to the wording stated. A must book for someone with a great sense of humor.

Thi book, is really good for all,
with simple exercises it teach about a character, from modeling to animation.

This is a very good book! I really like it. I am still reading and find it very helpful.

Both beginners and intermediate designers and 3D artists who want to learn the basics of character modeling and animation with Maya will relish the blend of step-by-step instruction, an accompanying cd-rom filled with chapter-oriented details and backup movies and presentations, and an attention to clear explanations of the animation process from start to finish. Screen shots and step-by-step examples on building a character model make MAYA CHARACTER MODELING & ANIMATION a top pick, especially for college-level art and computer libraries strong in Maya references.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Designed for the beginning to intermediate user, this book is aimed at the artist who want to learn 3D character modeling and animation using Maya. It is suitable for either classroom or individual use.

This book has an interesting combination between a theoretical/reference book and a tutorial book. Each chapter starts with a theory or reference section that gives the basic concepts for that chapter. This is followed by a detailed tutorial or two. For instance Chapter 2 is entitled 'Fundamentals of Computer Animation.' The theory section goes into the physics of how things move. This is important because people have an instinctive understanding of movement. The first tutorial then is on making a light and then a heavy ball bounce on the screen. Then the second tutorial makes the ball squash as it hits and then stretch as it bounces back into shape.

At the end of the book you won't be quite up to Pixar standards, but you'll be well on your way.

The CD-ROM supplied with the book contain project files including all of the figures from the book, organized into folders by chapter, all of the movies, organized by chapter and contained in folders called movies, and all of the Maya working files.